The Peasant's Promise
by Aelfeth
Summary: {The Princess Bride AU} Jamie Bennett has been sick for days and he's getting really bored. Then, his mom gives him a surprise: a book called 'The Princess Bride', her favourite when she was his age. Jamie doesn't want to hear about princesses, but his mom says it also has fights, monsters, and miracles. Will Jamie enjoy Jack and Elsa's adventures and the story of their True Love?
1. Chapter 1 - A Classic Tale

Hello lovely readers! ^_^

**About the story:** It is set as in 'The Princess Bride' movie/book, so this story will be comical and fluffly, almost like a fun take on classic fairy tales. It will help you to watch the movie, but it is not required to enjoy the fun!

**Read guide:** I'll cut between 'present time' (Jamie & co.) and the tale (Jack & co.) by means of breakers :)

**A/N:** So, this is my second crossover fanfiction. Even though the main pairing will be Jelsa (Jack Frost x Elsa), since it's my personal choice, I do hope you read it whether you ship it or not, because I wrote it to be for all Rise of the Guardians and Frozen fans that want to have some laughs ;)

**Cover image:** I made it! It imitates The Princess Bride movie cover. You can see more art related to this story by clicking on "The Princess Bride AU" link in the description of my tumblr: aelfethart.

Remember that I'd love to know what you think of it! Have fun!

-Ael

* * *

**Chapter I - A Classic Tale**

* * *

It was an awfully grey day outside. The wind and rain tapped against the window, but Jamie didn't mind the weather that much. He had to stay inside anyways. It was his fourth day in bed with the flu, and he was starting to get really bored. He already read his favourite books, drew enough drawings to cover the entire fridge and he was getting so tired of playing videogames.

He coughed a couple of times while looking at the small screen of his portable console. There were two knocks on the door, and then his mother entered the room.

"Hi honey" she said, approaching to him carrying a tray with an afternoon snack. She left it in the table nearby and touched Jamie's forehead. "Are you feeling any better?"

"I'm not bad…" Jamie sighed, while her mother took back the tray from the table and he saved the game.

"Here, have a sandwich and some juice." She smiled, kindly accommodating the tray over Jamie's legs. "You need some energy."

"I need some fun!" the boy replied. "I don't know what else I can do…" he pouted while sucking from the juice's straw.

His mother grinned. "Well, guess what?"

"What?" he mumbled, unimpressed.

She looked back at the door making signs with her arm, and Sophie appeared in the room. She approached to Jamie's bed carrying what looked like a small wrapped gift.

"A gift!" giggled the blond girl after stumbling against the bed's cover.

Jamie's face lighted up instantly. He left his sandwich back in the tray and took the small package.

"A book!" he exclaimed after quickly tearing the wrapping paper. "'_The Princess Bride_'... Are you sure this is for me, Sophie?" Jamie looked at his little sister, his voice hinting some disappointment.

"Yes, it is" his mother replied, taking the book in her hands. "It was my favourite book when I was your age, and my grandfather used to read it to me when I was sick, and now I'm gonna read it to you."

"Ugh, because you were _a girl_!" said Jamie. "I'd rather hear about vikings and dragons!"

"Dragons!" laughed Sophie, playing with a stuffed animal.

"Don't be silly!" her mother softly hit his arm with the book. "It's not just about a princess. It has fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles…" she added convincingly.

"Well then, it doesn't sound too bad. I'll try to stay awake…." Jamie said sarcastically, making himself comfortable in the bed.

"Ha-ha-ha! How kind of you..." his mother replied while helping Sophie to sit at the foot of Jamie's bed. Then she grabbed the book again and opened it on the first chapter.

* * *

Elsa was raised on a small farm in the country of Florin. She lived happily with her parents and had many pastimes, but what she liked to do the most was to ride her horse and taunt the farm boy that lived there. Actually, he was more of a young man now, but he had been a boy when he had come to work for Elsa's family.

His name was Jack, but she never called him that.

Truth was, Jack had a small family, consisting of his mother, Mrs. Overland, and his little sister Lotte. They lived in a humble cottage next to the village. They were poor, so Jack had gone to work for Mr. Andersen since he was old enough to do so. The boy had moved to the farm, free to go home only every other Sunday. Jack lived in a hovel out near the animals and, according to Elsa's mother, he kept it clean. He even read when he had candles.

Elsa didn't remember the exact moment the boy came to work for them. It seemed like he had always been there, just as the cows and the chickens, like he was part of the farm itself. Hence, she'd still call him '_farm boy_'.

One would have expected Elsa, being an only child, to grow friendly and easygoing, eager for friendship and company. In fact, she once was quite a sweet girl, but with time, she grew a bit of an introvert, despite having some friends in the village willing to spend their playtime with her. But whatever the reasons for her cold and distant demeanor were, it shouldn't come as a surprise, taking into account that Elsa's prefered company was Horse (that was the horse's name). And one cannot expect to learn social skills from a horse.

But Elsa loved her horse. It came when she called it, went where she steered it, did what she told it.

The farm boy did what she told him too.

"Farm boy, fetch me this"; "Get me that, farm boy, quickly, lazy thing, trot now or I'll tell father."

"As you wish."

That was all he ever answered.

"As you wish." Fetch that, farm boy. "As you wish." Dry this, farm boy. "As you wish."

Of course, Elsa had noticed this. At first, she didn't give it much importance, but later, when she was already fifteen, she began to think about the boy's strange attitude towards her. Elsa thought he was only teasing her, so she kept ordering him around, but he kept answering the same, with a bright smile always curving his lips. _How can he be happy about it?_, she wondered. He played it for too long to be a mere joke. Elsa began to feel really curious, but she was too proud -and probably shy- to ask.

"I'll leave the lad an acre in my will," Elsa's father was fond of saying. This time, it was during dinner.

"You'll spoil him," Elsa's mother -always- answered.

"He's slaved for many years; hard work should be rewarded." Mr. Andersen took a sip of his ale.

Then, rather than continue the argument, they would both turn on their daughter.

"You didn't bathe?" her father said.

"Of course I did" replied Elsa, a bit of annoyance showing in. Elsa was, in fact, a beautiful young girl, but primarily on potential, certainly not on any particular care she took of herself. For example, she was sick of combing her platinum blond hair and did so as little as possible, securing her locks on a tight and simple side braid.

"Not with soap," her father continued. "You reek like a stallion."

"I've been riding all day!" Elsa explained, while grabbing some bread. "It must be the clothes."

"You should have changed then, Elsa" her mother joined in. "The boys don't like girls to smell of stables."

"Oh, the boys!" Elsa fairly exploded. "I do not care about _the boys_. Horse loves me and that is quite sufficient, thank you."

She said that speech loud, and she said it often.

But, like it or not, things were beginning to happen.


	2. Chapter 2 - The Boys

Hello again, my lovely readers! ^_^

WOAH. That's all I can say. I'm speechless! Can't believe the welcome this fic had... I love you guys! ;_; 3 You made me real happy, I honestly thought it won't be popular at all. I also want to apologize beforehand if this takes some time to update though. I'm working on my semester project for uni. I'll try to update on weekends, hope it's worth your patience!

**A/N:** If any of you watched the movie, you know that the romance happens real quick. Well, thanks to the info on the book I'm going to slow down the pace, since I want to enjoy some of the priceless relationship's development that it shows there... and of which you'll see some in this chapter ;)

**Disclaimer: **Friendly reminder that I do not "own" many parts of the story. I'm just following _The Princess Bride_, even taking textual paragraphs from the book and quotes from the movie, since this is like a literal AU of it. My work here is some plot-tweaking and developing, plus the very idea of mixing it with a RotG+Frozen crossover :)

**Extra:** I shared on Tumblr the song that inspired me the whole thing out of a sudden and from which I borrowed the title, which is in fact plot-related. I'm referring to '_The Peasant's Promise_' by Blackmore's Night :) Listen to it in youtube: /watch?v=AtJGxDTkHfc

Ah, sorry for this big note. I'd love to know what you think of this chapter! Have fun reading!

-Ael

* * *

**Chapter II - The Boys**

* * *

As soon as she finished her dinner, Elsa went to the stables to check out on Horse. She was still rather annoyed at her parents after that conversation. She loved them, and of course Elsa felt that her parents loved her as well. But parents do not always know best, right?

If only they could understand her. If only somebody did. She didn't care about boys, she didn't care if she was more or less beautiful than other girls. How could someone care if she was the most beautiful woman in the world or not. What difference could it have made if you were only the third most beautiful. Or the sixth (Elsa at that point was barely at top twenty). What nobody seemed to understand is that she only wanted to be free. Go some place where she wouldn't have to fill any expectations not be judged by what she does, says or looks like, hence all the riding and disappearing from the farm for hours.

"Ugh, and what about what I really am? My opinions? Preferences? Feelings?" she vented in front of Horse. Then a sigh followed, as if giving up. "I'm a nice girl, right?" she whispered, while caressing his forehead.

Horse neighed.

"Thank you, Horse. You're the only one who understands me" she nodded, refraining herself from shedding tears a half smile pictured on her pale face.

Horse touched Elsa's chin with his muzzle. That made her laugh; if not for long, at least heartily, as she patted Horse's crest.

Suddenly, a shadow appeared from behind the animal. It was Jack, who had been there putting some tools in its place so they'd be ready for tomorrow's tasks. She was so focused on her feelings that she didn't check if she was alone. The darkness in the stable's interior had helped Jack to go unnoticed (he knew the farm so well by now he didn't need much light to walk around), and he purposely did as little noise as possible when he heard Elsa's voice. He had heard everything, her words waking in him the deepest pity and worry for her.

Elsa got flustered and looked at him wide-eyed for a second. She seldom laughed like that, and definitely not in front of people. Please, tell me he didn't hear anything. Please, she thought. But as Jack approached and his face came into contact with the very last dim daylight, she could distinguish his tender yet funny expression, which told her otherwise. He couldn't help to show a crooked smile as he saw Elsa's puzzled features (he tried hard not to though).

She felt her cheeks burning as she sensed her privacy unexpectedly invaded.

"Farm boy!" she exclaimed, but quickly regaining control of her bewilderment. "Polish my horse's saddle. I want to see my face shining in it by morning."

"As you wish." Jack smiled as usual, internally amused by the girl's reaction.

Elsa nodded, the awkward silence making her to leave the stable rapidly, almost , Jack finally allowed himself to chuckle. "Oh, boy..." He run his hand through his rebellious chestnut hair in disbelief.

Washing and polishing for almost the entire night was well worth the fact that he just had the chance to hear not only Elsa's deep feelings, but her laughter. To him, it sounded like celestial music, if such thing even existed. It was so rare to even catch a glimpse of her smiling that Jack treasured that moment deep in his heart.

In fact, so he did every time Elsa passed him by. He had memorized every detail of her: the way her hips swayed when she walked down the field, how gracefully she dismounted from Horse, the gleaming reflection of the sunlight in her fair hair, the blue shade of her eyes, the fluttery movement of her lashes over them when she blinked, and every light freckle that laid on her cheeks.

But Jack wouldn't say anything to her. He was smarter than that. He figured out a way to make her see.

"You heard the lady, my friend." Jack petted Horse and grinned. "Gonna give you some company tonight!"

Days later, Elsa realized that it had now been more than a month since any girl in the village had spoken to her. She had never much been close to girls anyway, so the change was nothing sharp, but at least before there were head nods exchanged when she rode through the village or along the cart tracks. But now, for no apparent reason, there was nothing. A quick glance away as she approached, that was all.

Elsa cornered Cornelia one morning at the blacksmith's and asked about the silence.

"I should think, after what you've done, you'd have the courtesy not to pretend to ask" Cornelia stated, sounding offended.

"And what have I done?"

"What? What? . . . You've stolen them!" With that, Cornelia fled, but Elsa understood; she knew who "them" was.

The boys.

The village boys.

The beef-witted featherbrained rattleskulled clodpated dim-domed noodle-noggined sap-headed lunk-knobbed boys.

How could anybody accuse her of stealing them? Why would anybody want them anyway? What good were they? All they did was bother and annoy and irritate. Elsa continued her ride through the town delivering some milk from the farm, but when she stopped to buy some apples her thoughts were confirmed.

"Can I brush your horse, Elsa?" said Ted, the black-haired baker's son.

"Thank you, but the farm boy does that." Elsa didn't even glance at him, her focus on choosing the fruits.

"Can I go riding with you, Elsa?" he asked again, following her to her horse.

"Thank you, but I really do enjoy riding alone." Elsa took one of the apples and secured the rest in the saddle's bag, then mounted.

"You think you're too good for anybody, don't you, Elsa?" the boy gave up.

"No; no I don't." She looked at him, rather incredulous. "I just like riding by myself, that's all."

Elsa sighed and parted. Even this kind of talk gave way to stammering and flushing and, at the very best, questions about the weather.

"Do you think it's going to rain, Elsa?" Larry approached to her, twisting his hat between his hands.

"I don't think so; the sky is blue."

"Well, it might rain." Larry added nervously, blushing all the way to his ears.

"Yes, I suppose it might." She rolled her eyes.

"You think you're too good for anybody, don't you, Elsa?" the boy gave up.

"No, I just don't think it's going to rain, that's all." She sighed and finally rode back home.

At night, more often than not, the boys would congregate in the dark beyond her window and laugh about her, since all they did was pester and vex and annoy. That night also, she could hear their laughter, but Elsa ignored them. Usually, the laughter would give way to insult. She paid them no mind. But that night they grew too damaging, and just as she walked to her window and opened it to shoo them, Elsa saw the farm boy emerging silently from his hovel and handling things.

"Get out of here," he warned them, his amiable features contorting into a dark menacing frown.

They froze and fell silent. Jack was thin but fit (from all the slaving), even a bit taller than other boys his age. Seeing they didn't move, he began thrashing a few of them with the help of a crooked stick, sending them flying. Elsa watched in awe.

When he was done and the boys run away, he turned back to his hovel, but looked up to her window first. She embraced herself, feeling a bit overwhelmed for what just happened. However, her voice didn't fail, somehow getting over her impressed state.

"Thank you, farm boy..." was all she said though, but that was more than enough for him.

"As you wish" was all he answered.

Things just began to change.


	3. Chapter 3 - The Finest Cows

Hi there, my lovely readers! ^_^

Ah, sooo sorry about the long wait! I'm really trying, can only write this during breaks. I made this chapter a bit longer I think. I know I repeat myself, but I can't thank you enough for all the kind comments and your eagerness for this little fic of mine. I love you! It's what keeps me writing.

On another note, I finally edited my profile and added a notice board of sorts, so go there to check if there's going to be a delay or if I just left a notice. Thanks!

**A/N:** This part is pretty much what happens in the book, except a couple of things. Even in the book the romance is too rushed in my opinion, so I gave them a couple of moments so you guys have at least an idea of how everything escalates. Next chapter will be full of fluff, I assure you that! Ah, another thing: in the book, the parents don't have names so I didn't name them here... bear with all the "Elsa's mother/father".

**Little game:** Virtual cookie to whoever guesses who the Countess is! ;) (Remember, it's a RotG+Frozen only!)

As always, I'd love to know what you think of this chapter! Thank you for your patience and have fun reading!

-Ael

* * *

**Chapter III - The Finest Cows**

* * *

Elsa's mother knocked on her door the morning after.

"Elsa, breakfast is almost done!" The woman said casually, not giving much thought about why Elsa would be just a bit late that morning.

The girl opened her eyes suddenly, encountering the bright morning light too quick. She rubbed the sleep off her eyes and jumped out of bed. Truth was, she couldn't fall asleep that night and, consequently, slept in a little. Elsa hastily poured some water from the pitcher into the bowl and washed her hands and face in a rush. Afterwards, she got into some clothes, divided her platinum blonde hair into three parts and loosely made a braid, as she was in a rush. Then opened the door and headed downstairs to the kitchen.

"Here," said Elsa's mother as soon as she appeared, "give this to Jack. He must be hungry by now."

The woman handed her a humble plate with scrambled eggs, some fried bacon and a piece of white bread with butter, cheese and marmalade. A fork was put on top of the food. Elsa took the dish mindlessly and went outside through the kitchen door, walking towards Jack's little hut. She stopped in front of it. A soft frown appeared in her white forehead. She looked down. Sighed. Then bit her lower lip. Was she... hesitating?

But just when Elsa gathered the strength to call him out, her lips even parted out, steps sounded behind her. Jack had been up for at least a couple of hours, milking the cows among other things.

"Ah-" She slightly gasped, turning her head towards him. He'd always surprise her, like if he was actually hovering over her all the time.

Jack approached to her slowly, almost as if he tried not to startle a little bird with his presence. He was grabbing his worn-out shoes with one hand (they were a bit muddy), dressed only in his tattered pants and a thin chemise. It was a warm morning, the beginning of summer after all. The sunlight shone in his rebellious chestnut locks. His brown eyes looked as if they shone too. Elsa noticed all of this. Then he smiled, and everything around seemed to brighten up because of that sweet, warm grin of his. Elsa also noticed that. It was a strange feeling.

"Good morning, farm boy," she managed to say when Jack was already next to her. "Here, have your breakfast."

He didn't answer. Not right away. Both froze within that silence for a few seconds, Elsa still grabbing the plate right in front of her, almost next to her body. Jack looked down to it, then gently took it from her. His fingertips slided under the plate, touching hers ever so softly in the process. Elsa's eyes widened and she felt her breath trapped in her throat.

"Thank you." Jack's voice was sweet and envolving. He didn't give Elsa time to react though, disappearing behind his door as soon as he took his breakfast, probably not believing what he just did.

Elsa stood there for a minute, incredulous of what just happened. She felt like blushing. And screaming. And running and laughing. Angry. Embarrassed. Excited. All at the same time. Why? Why was the farm boy like that? Why did he act like that with her? He was so weird! _Why?_ So many questions were in Elsa's head while she headed to the kitchen again.

In fact, these questions were there all the time. Each day, she felt more and more intrigued. What she didn't notice (or did she?) was that all this wondering was softening her character, to the point of changing her view on Jack. All her "Fetch that, farm boy" and "Dry this, farm boy" began to be "Farm boy, fill these with water… Please". Even though she kept ordering him around, her ways became less dominant, but there were some silent looks also, friendly, but questioning and curious. And a few furtive smiles too. Jack of course noticed all of that, and was really glad about it.

One morning, some weeks later, he had to deliver some milk to people in the village, as usual. He needed Horse and the cart for that, and that was nearly the only time Elsa didn't spend with her loyal friend, but helping her mother in the kitchen instead.

"Ah, we don't have enough strawberries for another cake," her mother said casually. "Well, we'll make something else inst-"

"Oh! I can go for more." Elsa snapped.

"That won't be necessary dear, the farm boy can bring them back after he delivers the milk."

"No!" Elsa almost yelled. Her mother gave her an incredulous look. "It'll be better if I pick them up myself. He's too stupid and will bring ugly ones, for sure. I really want that strawberry cake. Yes. I'll bring them," she explained, fast.

"Fair enough," her mother surrender. "Bring also a dozen of the prettiest potatoes while you're at it." There was some sarcasm there, but Elsa seemed to not notice and exited the kitchen.

Jack was surprised when he saw her coming while he was attaching Horse to the cart. Elsa just went and sat on it. Jack did so too when he was done. He only showed a crooked smiled, but Elsa saw it.

"We need strawberries," she said as casually as she could.

_Right_, Jack thought. He grinned wider. He couldn't believe he was getting closer to her.

Even after a while, a smile was still drawn on his face. Elsa noticed; she glanced at him often. He did glance at her too, only cautiously. They were silent. But then their eyes met, but quickly glanced away. That smile wouldn't wipe off his face, and it was somehow contagious. They looked at each other again. Elsa felt like smiling too.

Their eyes met yet again.

And they caught each other smiling. And the smile gave up to a grin, which turned into a shy laugh.

They laughed.

_Why on earth is he laughing?,_ Elsa though, but she had better asked herself why _she_ was. "Oh, stop laughing!" she commanded, but her own laugh didn't make her sound as authoritative as she wanted. Elsa turned her face to the side, away from his. She could feel her cheeks burning. Well, she felt internally embarrased at the poor excuse she gave to spend some time with the farm boy anyway.

"As you wish," she heard Jack say.

Elsa began to get really tired of that answer. She wanted more.

* * *

A man in a carriage came to town and watched as Elsa got provisions. He was still there on her return, peering out. She paid him no mind and, indeed, by himself he was not important. But he marked a turning point. Other men had gone out of their way to catch sight of her; other men had even ridden twenty miles for the privilege, as this man had. The importance here is that this was the first rich man who had bothered to do so, the first noble. And it was this man, whose name is lost to antiquity, who mentioned Elsa to the Count.

The Count was Prince Hans' only confidant. His name was Pitch, but no one needed to use it, as he was the only Count in the country, the title having been bestowed by the Prince as a birthday present some years before.

The Count was married. The Countess was considerably younger than her husband. She came from the east, and her looks were exotic and beautiful. Her skin was of a light cinnamon shade, and her eyes like two clear emeralds. But sadly -for her- it was an arranged marriage, so for now, the Countess busied herself with simply sleeping on silk, eating on gold and being the single most feared and admired woman in Florinese history.

"Quick, quick. Come." Elsa's father stood in his farmhouse, staring out the window.

"Why?" came from the mother.

The father made a quick finger point. "Look"

"In a moment." The woman kept stirring up the stew.

"Ahhhh," he said after a while. And a little later, again, "Ahhhh." Elsa's mother glanced up briefly from her cooking.

"Such riches," the father said. "Glorious."

She hesitated, then put her stew spoon down.

"The heart swells at the magnificence," Elsa's father muttered very loudly.

"What exactly is it, dumpling?" the woman wanted to know.

"Just look." She came over to the window. A moment later she was going "Ahhh" right along with him. They stood there, the two of them, tiny and awed. From setting the dinner table, Elsa watched them.

"They must be going to meet Prince Hans someplace," Elsa's mother said.

The father nodded. "Hunting. That's what the Prince does."

"How lucky we are to have seen them pass by," the mother said, and she took her husband's hand.

The man nodded. "Now I can die."

She glanced at him. "Don't."

Elsa came close and stood behind them, staring over them, and soon she was gasping too, because the Count and Countess and all their pages and soldiers and servants and courtiers and champions and carriages were passing by the cart track at the front of the farm.

The three stood in silence as the procession moved forward. Elsa's father had always dreamed of living like the Count. He had once been two miles from where the Count and Prince had been hunting, and until this moment that had been the high point of his life. He wasn't a bad farmer, and was a good husband, but there wasn't really much in this world he excelled at, and he could never quite figure out how he happened to have such wife and daughter, but he knew, deep down, that it must have been some kind of wonderful mistake, the nature of which he had no intention of investigating. Elsa's mother was moderately beautiful, or at least, as beautiful as a hardworking woman living in a farm in the countryside can be. She wasn't precisely a terrible cook, and definitely not a bad housekeeper. She had always dreamed of somehow just once being popular, like the Countess was said to be.

Elsa herself, standing half a head over her parents, still holding the dinner dishes, still smelling of Horse, only wished that the great procession wasn't quite so far away, so she could see if the Countess's clothes really were all that lovely.

As if in answer to her request, the procession turned and began entering the farm.

"Here?" Elsa's father managed. "My God, why?"

The mother whirled on him. "Did you forget to pay your taxes?"

"Even if I did, they wouldn't need all that to collect them," and he gestured toward the front of his farm, where now the Count and Countess and all their pages and soldiers and servants and courtiers and champions and carriages were coming closer and closer. "What could they want to ask me about?" he said.

"Go see, go see," Elsa's mother told him.

"You go. Please."

"No. You. Please."

"We'll both go."

They both went. Trembling...

"Cows," the Count said, when they reached his golden carriage. "I would like to talk about your cows."

He spoke from inside, his long face darkened by shadow.

"My cows?" Elsa's father said.

"Yes. You see, I'm thinking of starting a little dairy of my own, and since your cows are known throughout the land as being Florin's finest, I thought I might pry your secrets from you."

"My cows," he managed to repeat, hoping he was not going mad. Because the truth was, and he knew it well, his cows were more on the mediocre level. Sometimes, a complaint or two would come from the people in the village, so if anyone else had had milk to sell, he could have been out of business. Now granted, things had improved since the farm boy had come to slave for him, no question, the farm boy had certain skills, and the complaints were quite nonexistent now but that didn't make his the finest cows in Florin. Still, you didn't argue with the Count. Elsa's father turned to his wife. "What would you say my secret is, my dear?" he asked.

"Oh, there are so many," she said, a bit nervous. It was about the quality of their livestock after all.

"You two are childless, are you?" the Count asked then.

"No, sir," the mother answered.

"Then let me see her," the Count went on, "perhaps she will be quicker with her answers than her parents."

"Elsa," the father called, turning. "Come out please."

"How did you know we had a daughter?" Elsa's mother wondered.

"A guess. I assumed it had to be one or the other. Some days I'm luckier than-" He simply stopped talking then, because Elsa moved into view, hurrying from the house to her parents. The Count left the carriage. Gracefully, he moved to the ground and stood very still. He was a tall man, rather slender, with black hair that went to his back and black eyes. He wore black cape and gloves.

"Curtsy, dear," her mother whispered. Elsa did her best.

And the Count could not stop looking at her.

Understand now, she was barely rated in the top twenty; her hair was loosely combed; her age was just eighteen. Nothing had been done to the child. Nothing was really there but potential. But the Count still could not rip his eyes away.

"The Count would like to know the secrets behind our cows' greatness, is that correct, sir?" Elsa's father said.

The Count only nodded, staring. Even Elsa's mother noted a certain tension in the air.

"Ask the farm boy; he tends them," Elsa said.

"And is that the farm boy?" came a new voice from inside the carriage. Then the Countess's face was framed in the carriage doorway.

Her lips were painted a perfect red; her green eyes lined in black. All the colors of the world were muted in her gown. Elsa wanted to shield her eyes from the brilliance.

Elsa's father glanced back toward the lone figure peering around the corner of the house. "It is."

"Bring him to me."

"He is not dressed properly for such an occasion," Elsa's mother said.

"I have seen bare chests before," the Countess replied. Then she called out: "You!" and pointed at the farm boy. "Come here." Her fingers snapped on _here_.

The farm boy did as he was told. And when he was close, the Countess left the carriage. When he was a few paces behind Elsa, he stopped, head properly bowed. He was ashamed of his attire, worn boots and torn brown pants, and his hands were tight together in almost a gesture of supplication.

"Do you have a name, farm boy?"

"Jack, Countess."

"Well, Jack, perhaps you can help us with our problem." She crossed to him. The fabric of her gown grazed his skin. "We are all of us here passionately interested in the subject of cows. We are practically reaching the point of frenzy, such is our curiosity. Why, do you suppose, Jack, that the cows of this particular farm are the finest in all Florin? What do you do to them?"

"I just feed them, Countess."

"Well then, there it is, the mystery is solved, the secret out; we can all rest. Clearly, the magic is in Jack's feeding. Show me how you do it, would you, Jack?"

"Feed the cows for you, Countess?"

"Bright lad."

"When?"

"Now will be soon enough," and she held out her arm to him. "Lead me, Jack."

Jack had no choice but to take her arm. Gently. "It's behind the house, madam; it's terribly muddy back there. Your gown will be ruined."

"I wear them only once, Jack, and I burn to see you in action."

So off they went to the cowshed. Throughout all this, the Count kept watching Elsa.

"I'll help you," Elsa called after Jack.

"Perhaps I'd best see just how he does it," the Count decided.

"Strange things are happening," Elsa's parents said, and off they went too, bringing up the rear of the cow-feeding trip, watching the Count, who was watching their daughter, who was watching the Countess.

Who was watching Jack.


	4. Chapter 4 - Green Night

Hi there, lovelies! ^_^

Wow, again, so sorry about the long wait! I've been busier than I expected... But don't fret, I'll be done with uni work soon! Fortunately, I had this chapter almost done, so here you go! Ah, I know I repeat myself, but **thank you** for all your kind messages and your enthusiasm about this story! Without it I wouldn't have the pump to do it ;) *hugs*

**A/N:** Now, THIS IS IT. THIS IS THE FIRST PART OF THE FLUFF. I had to break it so this chapter alone wasn't like half of what it's already written. Hope you don't mind? *puppy eyes*

**Little game - Answer!:** The Countess, as many of you said, is Toothiana! :D You'll see it clearer in this chapter *giggles*

As always, I'd love to know what you think of this chapter! Thank you for your patience and have fun reading!

-Ael

* * *

**Chapter IV - Green Night**

* * *

"I couldn't see what he did that was so special," Elsa's father said. "He just fed them." This was after dinner now, and the family was alone again.

"They must like him personally. I had a cat once that only bloomed when I fed him. Maybe it's the same kind of thing." Elsa's mother scraped the stew leavings into a bowl. "Here," she said to her daughter. "Jack's waiting by the back door; take him his dinner."

Elsa carried the bowl, opened the back door.

"Take it," she said.

Jack instantly noticed in her voice that something was wrong. He simply nodded, accepted, started off to his tree stump to eat.

"I didn't excuse you, Farm Boy," Elsa began. He stopped, turned back to her. "I don't like what you're doing with Horse. What you're not doing with Horse is more to the point. I want him cleaned. Tonight. I want his hoofs varnished. Tonight. I want his tail plaited and his ears massaged. This very evening. I want his stables spotless. Now. I want him glistening, and if it takes you all night, it takes you all night."

"As you wish."

She slammed the door and let him eat in darkness.

"I thought Horse had been looking very well, actually," her father said when his daughter approached.

Elsa said nothing.

"You yourself said so yesterday," her mother reminded her.

"I must be overtired," Elsa managed. "The excitement and all."

"Rest, then," her mother cautioned. "Terrible things can happen when you're overtired. I was overtired the night your father proposed."

* * *

Elsa went to her room. She laid on her bed. She closed her eyes.

And the Countess was staring at Jack.

Elsa got up from bed. She took off her clothes. She washed a little. She got into her nightgown. She slipped between the sheets, snuggled down, closed her eyes.

The Countess was still staring at Jack!

Elsa threw back the sheets, opened her door. She went to the sink by the stove and poured herself a cup of water. She drank it down. She poured another cup and rolled its coolness across her forehead. The feverish feeling was still there. How feverish? She felt fine. She was eighteen, and not even a cavity. She dumped the water firmly into the sink, turned, marched back to her room, shut the door tight, went back to bed. She closed her eyes.

The Countess would not stop staring at Jack!

Why? Why in the world would the woman in all the history of Florin who was in all ways perfect be interested in the farm boy. Elsa rolled around in bed. And there simply was no other way of explaining that look she was interested. Elsa shut her eyes tight and studied the memory of the Countess. Clearly, something about the farm boy interested her. Facts were facts. But what? The farm boy had eyes like the autumn, but who cared about eyes? And he had charmingly rebellious chestnut hair, if you liked that sort of thing. And he was just broad enough in the shoulders, but not all that broader than the Count. And certainly he was fit, but anybody who slaved all day would. He wasn't taller than the Count either, although his stomach was even flatter, the Count being already thin, but that was because the farm boy was younger.

Elsa sat up in bed. It must be his teeth. The farm boy did have good teeth, give credit where credit was due. White and perfect.

Could have been anything else? Elsa concentrated. The girls in the village followed the farm boy around a lot, whenever he was making deliveries, but they were idiots, they followed anything. And he always ignored them, because if he'd ever opened his mouth, they would have realized that was all he had, just good teeth; he was, after all, exceptionally stupid.

It was really very strange that a woman as beautiful and slender and willowy and graceful, a creature as perfectly packaged, as supremely dressed as the Countess should be hung up on teeth that way. Elsa shrugged. People were surprisingly complicated. But now she had it all diagnosed, deduced, clear. She closed her eyes and snuggled down and got all nice and comfortable, and people don't look at other people the way the Countess looked at the farm boy because of their teeth.

"Oh," Elsa gasped. "Oh, oh dear."

Now the farm boy was staring back at the Countess. He was feeding the cows and his muscles were rippling the way they always did under his perfect skin and Elsa was standing there watching as the farm boy looked, for the first time, deep into the Countess's eyes.

Elsa jumped out of bed and began to pace her room. How could he? Oh, it was all right if he looked at her, but he wasn't looking at her, he was looking at her.

"But she's older," Elsa muttered, starting to storm a bit now. The Countess would never see thirty again and that was fact. And her dress looked ridiculous out in the cowshed and that was fact too. Elsa fell onto her bed and clutched her pillow across her chest. The dress was ridiculous before it even got to the cowshed. The Countess looked rotten the minute she left the carriage, with her too big painted mouth and her little piggy painted eyes and her powdered skin and . . . and . . . and . . .

Flailing and thrashing, Elsa wept and tossed and paced and wept some more, and there have been three great cases of jealousy since David of Galilee was first afflicted with the emotion when he could no longer stand the fact that his neighbor Saul's cactus outshone his own. (Originally, jealousy pertained solely to plants, other people's cactus or ginkgoes, or, later, when there was grass, grass, which is why, even to this day, we say that someone is green with jealousy.) Elsa's case rated a close fourth on the all-time list.

It was a very long and very green night.

* * *

She was outside his hovel before dawn. Inside, she could hear him already awake.

She knocked.

He appeared and, surprised, stood in the doorway. Behind him she could see a tiny candle, open books. He just waited. She looked at him. Then she looked away.

He was too handsome.

"I love you," Elsa said, almost in a whisper, but with confidence, as if she'd never said truer words.

Jack's face only mirrored a third of the surprise that just hit him like a lightning. His eyes only widened slightly and his lips parted a bit.

"I know this must come as something of a surprise," Elsa hurried on, "since all I've ever done is scorn you and degrade you and taunt you, but I have loved you for several hours now, and every second, more. I thought an hour ago that I loved you more than any woman has ever loved a man, but a half hour after that I knew that what I felt before was nothing compared to what I felt then. But ten minutes after that, I understood that my previous love was just a tree compared to the magnificence of an autumn forest. Your eyes are like that, did you know? Well they are. How many minutes ago was I? Twenty? Had I brought my feelings up to then? It doesn't matter."

Elsa still could not look at him. She nervously embraced herself.

The sun was rising behind her now; she could feel the heat on her back, and that gave her courage.

"I love you so much more now than twenty minutes ago that there cannot be comparison. I love you so much more now than when you opened your hovel door, there cannot be comparison. There is no room in my body for anything but you. My arms love you, my ears adore you, my knees shake with blind affection. My mind begs you to ask it something so it can obey. Do you want me to follow you for the rest of your days? I will do that. Do you want me to crawl? I will crawl. I will be quiet for you or sing for you, or if you are hungry, let me bring you food, or if you have thirst and nothing will quench it but Arabian wine, I will go to Araby, even though it is across the world, and bring a bottle back for your lunch. Anything there is that I can do for you, I will do for you; anything there is that I cannot do, I will learn to do. I know I cannot compete with the Countess in skills or wisdom or appeal, and I saw the way she looked at you. And I saw the way you looked at her. But remember, please, that she is old and has other interests, while I am eighteen and for me there is only you. Dearest Jack, I've never called you that before, have I? Jack, Jack, Jack, Jack, Jack darling, adored Jack, sweet perfect Jack, whisper that I have a chance to win your love."

And with that, she dared the bravest thing she'd ever done: she looked right into his eyes.

He closed the door in her face.

Without a word.

Behind it, Jack pinched himself. _Ouch._ He was definitely awake, and now he felt like collapsing, even though what just happened was as good as any dream he had. He'd been wishing for this to happen for so long, that he didn't stop to think what he would do after he'd gained Elsa's heart. He was still poor, a peasant with no future. He had nothing to offer to her but himself. And was that even enough for her adored Elsa? Where would they live? Then, he heard steps that walked away fast.

Elsa ran.

She whirled and burst away and the tears came bitterly; she could not see, she stumbled, she slammed into a tree trunk, fell, rose, ran on; her shoulder throbbed from where the tree trunk hit her, and the pain was strong, but not enough to ease her shattered heart. Back to her room she fled, back to her pillow. Safe behind the locked door, she drenched the world with tears.

Not even one word.

He really hadn't had the decency for that. '_Sorry_,' he could have said. Would it have ruined him to say '_sorry_'? '_Too late_,' he could have said. Why couldn't he at least have said something? Elsa thought very hard about that for a moment. And suddenly she had the answer: he didn't talk because the minute he opened his mouth, that was it. Sure he was handsome, but dumb? The minute he had exercised his tongue, it would have all been over.

'_Duhhhhhhh_.' That's what he would have said. That was the kind of thing Jack came out with when he was feeling really sharp. '_Duhhhhhhh, thanks, Elsa_.'

Elsa dried her tears and began to smile. She took a deep breath, heaved a sigh. It was all part of growing up. You got these little quick passions, you blinked, and they were gone. You forgave faults, found perfection, fell madly; then the next day the sun came up and it was over. Chalk it up to experience, old girl, and get on with the morning. Elsa stood, made her bed, changed her clothes, combed her hair, smiled, and burst out again in a fit of weeping. Because there was a limit to just how much you could lie to yourself.

Jack wasn't stupid.

Oh, she could pretend he was. She could chide herself for her silly infatuation with a dullard. The truth was simply this: he had a head on his shoulders, with a brain inside every bit as good as his teeth. There was a reason he hadn't spoken and it had nothing to do with gray cells working. He hadn't spoken because, really, there was nothing for him to say.

He didn't love her back and that was that.


	5. Chapter 5 - Goodbye

Surprise! ^o^

Hahaha, yes! A double update of sorts! Oh gosh, I'm sorry but I had so much fun with your reviews! All the "AAAAHHH" and "EEEEEEK" and the freaking out! Now I realise that was a big cliffhanger... and since I had this part written already, I thought I might as well throw it at you for being such cuties and waiting for this fic! *sends hugs and kisses*

**A/N:** More fluff. And other things too... Sorry! :3 But now it's when the story begins, so to say. Don't forget I'm following the book/movie, I really try to keep them not-ooc* as much I can.

Don't hesitate to let me know if you liked it! Have fun reading! ^-^

-Ael

* * *

**Chapter V - Goodbye**

* * *

The tears that kept Elsa company for the rest of the day were not at all like those that had blinded her into the tree trunk. Those were noisy and hot; they pulsed. These were silent and steady and all they did was remind her that she wasn't good enough. She was eighteen, and every male she'd ever known had crumbled at her feet and it meant nothing. The one time it mattered, she wasn't good enough. All she knew really was riding, and how was that to interest a man when that man had been looked at by the Countess?

It was dusk when she heard footsteps outside her door. Then a knock. Elsa dried her eyes. Another knock.

"Whoever is that?" Elsa yawned finally.

"Jack."

Elsa lounged across the bed. "Jack?" she said. "Do I know any Ja-oh, Farm Boy, it's you, how droll!"

She went to her door, unlocked it, and said, in her fanciest tone, "I'm ever so glad you stopped by, I've been feeling just ever so slummy about the little joke I played on you this morning. Of course you knew I wasn't for a moment serious, or at least I thought you knew, but then, just when you started closing the door I thought for one dreary instant that perhaps I'd done my little jest a bit too convincingly and, poor dear thing, you might have thought I meant what I said when of course we both know the total impossibility of that ever happening."

"I've come to say goodbye."

Elsa's heart bucked, but she still held to fancy. "You're going to sleep, you mean, and you've come to say good night? How thoughtful of you, Farm Boy, showing me that you forgive me for my little morning's tease; I certainly appreciate your thoughtfulness and-"

"I'm leaving." He cut her off.

"Leaving?" The floor began to ripple. She held to the doorframe. "Now?"

"Yes."

"Because of what I said this morning?"

"Yes."

"I frightened you away, didn't I? I could kill my tongue." She shook her head and shook her head. "Well, it's done; you've made your decision. Just remember this: I won't take you back when she's done with you, I don't care if you beg."

He just looked at her in confusion.

Elsa hurried on. "Just because you're handsome and perfect, it's made you conceited. You think people can't get tired of you, well you're wrong, they can, and she will, besides you're too poor."

"I'm going to America. To seek my fortune. A ship sails soon from the harbor. There is great opportunity in America and I'm going to take advantage of it. I've been training myself in my hovel. I've taught myself not to need sleep. A few hours only. I'll take a ten-hour-a-day job and then I'll take another ten-hour-a-day job and I'll save every penny from both except what I need to eat to keep strong, and when I have enough I'll buy a farm and build a house and make a bed big enough for two."

"You're just crazy if you think she's going to be happy in some run-down farmhouse in America. Not with what she spends on clothes."

"Stop talking about the Countess!"

Elsa looked at him, slightly puzzled.

"Don't you understand anything that's going on?"

Elsa shook her head. It was too good to be what she thought it was.

"Do you love me, Jack? Is that it?" She dared to ask.

He couldn't believe it.

"Do I love you? My God, if your love were a grain of sand, mine would be a universe of beaches. If your love were-"

"Wait, what?," Elsa interrupted unconsciously, voicing her bewilderment. She was starting to get very excited now.

Jack looked at her intensely.

"I have stayed these years in my hovel because of you. I have lived my life with only the prayer that some sudden dawn you might glance in my direction. I have not known a moment in years when the sight of you did not send my heart careening against my rib cage. I have not known a night when your visage did not accompany me to sleep. There has not been a morning when you did not flutter behind my waking eyelids... Is any of this getting through to you, Elsa, or do you want me to go on for a while?"

"Never stop."

"There has not been."

"If you're teasing me, Jack, I'm just going to kill you."

"How can you even dream I might be teasing? I love you." He whispered that last bit, and he felt so liberated. He dared to take her hands in his. "Want it louder? I love you! Spell it out, should I? I ell-oh-vee-ee why-oh-you. Want it backwards? Uoy-evol-i."

"You are teasing now; aren't you?" She smiled, though in the verge of tears. Of joy.

"A little maybe" He grinned. "Oh, Elsa…" He sighed, "I've been saying it so long to you, you just wouldn't listen. Every time you said '_Farm Boy do this_' you thought I was answering '_As you wish_' but that's only because you were hearing wrong. '_I love you_' was what it was, but you never heard."

Suddenly, it all made sense. That was it. That's why. All his smiles, all his kindness and softness, his acceptance, all came in a bright flash. She understood everything.

"I hear you now, and I promise you this: I will never love anyone else. Only you. Until I die."

He nodded, took a step away. "I'll send for you soon. Believe me."

"Would my Jack ever lie?"

He took another step. "I'm late. I must go. I hate it but I must. The ship sails soon and the harbour is far."

"I understand." Elsa found it very hard to breathe. "Goodbye."

"Goodbye," he said again.

She made a little nod. Their hands parted. He stepped back. He took a third step, not turning. She watched him.

Then, he turned. And the words ripped out of her: "Without one kiss?"

They fell into each other's arms. Jack answered to her plead and let his lips tenderly touch her soft and eager ones. Both felt something warm expanding across their chests, involving them in a comfortable sensation, as if a spark had lit a space that once was dark and cold.

* * *

"Hold it, hold it… What is this? Are you trying to trick me? Where's the action?" Jaime interrupted, giving a serious look to his mother. "...Is this a kissing book?"

"Kiss!" Little Sophie giggled.

"Aw, c'mon!" His mom snorted. "Really? Just let me read! This is a very emotional time for Jack and Elsa!"

"But… when is it going to get good?"

She then moved her hand while saying: "Wait, just wait. 'Jack didn't have money for marriage, so he packed his few belongings and left the farm to seek his fortune across the sea.' "

"I don't believe this…" Jamie sighed.

* * *

"I fear I'll never see you again..." Elsa said, almost in tears.

"Of course you will" Jack whispered while caressing her hair.

"But what if something happens to you?" She just couldn't let her worries go. Not now that she was happy and had everything sorted out. She was so afraid to lose it all.

Jack softly broke their embrace to look at her right in the eyes.

"Hear this now: I will always come for you. **I promise**." He lifted his hand to hold her face, removing a tear with his thumb.

"How can you be so sure?"

"This is true love," he smiled. "Do you think this happens everyday?"

His assuring smile gave Elsa all the hope she needed.

* * *

The first morning after Jack's departure, Elsa thought she was entitled to do nothing more than sit around moping and feeling sorry for herself. After all, the love of her life had fled, life had no meaning, how could you face the future, et cetera, et cetera. But after about two seconds of that she realized that Jack was out in the world now, getting nearer and nearer to the harbor, and what if a beautiful city girl caught his fancy while she was just back here moldering? Or, worse, what if he got to America and worked his jobs and built his farm and made their bed and sent for her and when she got there he would look at her and say, '_I'm sending you back, the moping has destroyed your eyes, the self-pity has taken your skin; you're a slobby-looking creature, I'm marrying an Indian girl who lives in a teepee nearby and is always in the peak of condition._'

Elsa ran to her bedroom mirror. "Oh, Jack," she said, "I must never disappoint you." She had been unhappy all this time, and thus, careless of herself, and she didn't want to continue like that even though Jack was gone.

He was the reason of her happiness. And she won't allow herself to be sad anymore.

Thus, every morning she awoke, if possible by dawn, and got the farm chores finished immediately. There was much to be done now, with Jack gone, and more than that, ever since the Count had visited, everyone in the area had increased his milk order. So there was no time for self-improvement until well into the afternoon. But then she really set to work.

First a good cold bath. Then, brush and brush her hair, which was the color of a pale ray of sun, and slightly rebellious too so it took time. But she didn't mind, because Jack had never seen it like this and wouldn't he be surprised when she stepped off the boat in America. Her skin was the color of wintry cream, and she scrubbed her every inch well past glistening, and that wasn't much fun really, but wouldn't Jack be pleased with how glistening she was as she stepped off the boat in America.

And very quickly now, her potential began to be realized. The day after a three-page letter arrived from Jack in the harbor and just reading it over made her even more beautiful. That was really what was doing it for her more than anything, her love for Jack would not stop growing and people were dazzled when she delivered milk in the morning. Some people were only able to gape at her, but many talked and those that did found her warmer and gentler than she had ever been before. Even the village girls would nod and smile now, and some of them would ask after Jack, which was a mistake unless you happened to have a lot of spare time, because when someone asked Elsa how Jack was, well, she told them. He was supreme as usual; he was spectacular; he was singularly fabulous. Oh, she could go on for hours. Sometimes it got a little tough for the listeners to maintain strict attention, but they did their best, since Elsa loved him so completely.

Which was why Jack's death hit her the way it did.


End file.
